Return of ZORRO the leucistic black capped chickadeeImage by thelearnedfoot_Another local birder (who gets credit for first spotting him/her) named the bird Zorro for the black mask.

"Zorro" is a leucistic black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) photographed in the fall of 2009 outside the Nature Center at the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks.

Leucism is relatively unusual in birds. Leucism is caused not by a lack of pigment (as in an albino individual), but by a reduced deposition of pigment in the feather.

Zorro first appeared at a local feeder in the Rocky River Reservation in October 2009. He is a frequent visitor and appears to live with a flock of normal black-capped chickadees. It is not known whether Zorro is male or female. Zorro is difficult to photograph because although not afraid of people, Zorro rarely stays in one spot for very long unlike some of the other black-caps.

Missy Where are we going? img_8229Image by maplegirlieMISSY - ID#A332945My name is MISSY.I am a female, brown and white Pit Bull Terrier mix.The shelter staff think I am about 9 months old (as of 1/9/10).I have been at the shelter since Oct 25, 2009.

In this photo: I'm in the back of a volunteer's car on my way to hike in the snow!

For more information about this sweetheart, call:Salt Lake County Animal Services at (801) 559-1100Ask for information about animal ID number A332945

ZoologyImage by diathesisMorgan was flipping through a book of animals, making up names for all the animals she encountered. "This is a Rancore. This is a woobidaah." (etc.)